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The Stress-Vulnerability Model ‘If you cant deal with stress, the sooner you learn, the better’ ‘Creating a stress free environment in the short term is a prison building project in the long. ‘Creating hope filled environments that nurture and invite growth and recovery is an alternative to despair’. What could be more stressful than no-one having any expectations of you, no-one believing you can do anything, no-one making any demands on you?

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Medication/Medicalisation People have a right to define their own experience The ‘diagnosis’ is not the person There is ‘Meaning in Madness’ Personal growth/development may be a more helpful definition of what Recovery is about

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‘High Expressed Emotion’ Families are the best ‘Recovery Vehicle’ – Who or what do we mean by ‘Carers?’ Families as Experts Don’t put your life on hold When in doubt, ‘be human’

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‘Psychosis is toxic to the brain’ Psychosis is toxic to relationships Psychosis is toxic to self esteem Psychosis feeds on despair In 2011, Andreasen reported that use of the old neuroleptics, the atypical antipsychotics, and clozapine were all “associated with smaller brain tissue volumes,” with decreases in both white and grey matter. The severity of illness and substance abuse had “minimal or no effect’” on brain volumes.

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‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here’ If family is the recovery vehicle, then hope is the engine. Who will be the holder of hope? Don’t put your life on hold

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A Family Recipe for readmission to the community A generous amount of curiosity, sieving out a temptation to advise or tell. A reasonable amount of demand making with an expectation that the person can do it. A fair amount of understanding of readmission as a process that will move forward over time. A commitment to trying to not put your lives on hold. Copious amounts of empathy, but not too much sympathy. (Sympathy poisons determination) Hold the Hope